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Veronica Sierzant has seen it all in three years with Syracuse. She was in for a rude awakening from the get-go. In 2023, the Orange went 2-26, but Sierzant excelled as SU’s setter and right-side hitter, placing second in kills (123) and assists (202).

The following season, she overtook Mira Ledermueller as SU’s primary setter and notched a team-high 659 assists. Still, Syracuse won just three conference games in an underwhelming campaign.

The Orange have drastically improved this season, but Sierzant’s spot was seized by Nevada transfer Tehya Maeva. Still, head coach Bakeer Ganesharatnam has utilized her in the 6-2 formation, where an extra setter replaces the right-side hitter.

“It’s great that we have that option,” Maeva said after sweeping Siena on Sept. 19. “Me and Veronica are super dynamic. She’s a super smart player, so I think it’s great that she can set and also hit. It opens our team up and gives us a lot of options.”

That all changed in SU’s matchup with then-No. 6 Louisville on Sept. 28. Sierzant exited in the first set and was ruled out for the season with a shin fracture.

Since then, Syracuse (13-7, 5-5 Atlantic Coast) has experimented with several combinations to replicate Sierzant’s production, and it’s worked. SU has gone 4-4 in the eight games without her and maintained its pace to hit its most single-season wins under Ganesharatnam. The Orange have swapped between using two natural outside hitters at right-side hitter, employing two middle blockers or even using an extra libero.

“Sierzant’s a huge presence on our team. She has a big voice,” Maeva said. “It’s unfortunate that we don’t have her on the court, but she helps us all in different ways.”

The biggest beneficiary of Sierzant’s absence has been Sydnie Waller. After receiving regular minutes in six of the Orange’s first seven games, Waller was fizzled out of the rotation when the Orange switched to a 6-2 formation in their home match versus Colgate on Sept. 13.

After spending three contests on the bench, Waller, who was an outside hitter as a freshman, heard her number called at right-side hitter after Sierzant’s injury against the Cardinals. The next game, she earned the start and totaled a season-high 12 kills in a four-set rout of Virginia Tech on Oct. 3.

Waller has seen mixed results since getting more playing time. She posted her highest hitting percentage in conference play (37.5%) on 16 tries in a sweep of Duke on Oct. 17. However, she went 0-for-6 on attacks in the first set at Boston College on Oct. 22, which cut her from the rotation.

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In her place, freshman Marie Laurio stepped up. She previously started over Skylar George at outside hitter in late-August victories over Niagara and Rider. But, like Waller, her time to shine was temporary. She returned to the bench and sparingly played since. That changed against the Eagles.

Laurio slotted in at right-side hitter, but that didn’t stop her from notching double-digit kills for the first time in her career. She appeared in the Orange’s last seven sets and started in their loss to BC on Oct. 24, when she averaged three kills per set.

“I was really happy to be out there, but at the same time, I was just there to do my job and help the team out as much as I can,” Laurio said. “I’m still gonna bring the same amount of energy, the same amount of competitiveness whenever I come in off the bench or am starting.”

Sometimes, right-side hitters sit in the back or don’t see the court. However, middle blockers Zharia Harris-Waddy and Soana Lea’ea cover considerable ground with their length and make up for the 6-foot-3 Sierzant.

Since Sierzant’s injury, Harris-Waddy and Lea’ea have notched at least one block apiece in all but one match. Harris-Waddy has totaled at least three in her last four contests, while Lea’ea recorded a season-high 10 at Boston College. Oreva Evivie even stepped up against the Hokies, playing all four sets and recording three blocks.

“We’re all doing a good job of keeping up our play,” Maeva said. “(Sierzant) does add a lot of height, which is great, but we do have some really crafty, smart hitters and blockers.”

In other cases, the last spot is reserved for a second libero, a position known for its defense. Sierzant’s defensive prowess can’t be understated, either. Her 188 digs in 2024 ranked fourth on Syracuse.

Rana Yamada’s established herself as SU’s top defensive specialist and hasn’t missed a set this campaign. But her work is strenuous, so Ganesharatnam has turned to sophomore Reese Teves to lighten her workload, and she’s also emerged as the Orange’s top server as a result.

Despite playing in 56 of Syracuse’s 75 sets this season, Teves leads SU with 21 aces. That’s helped the Orange rank top-7 in the ACC with 1.61 aces per set. Teves’ best moments come in bunches. SU often scores back-to-back points because she’s remained on the serve.

Teves and Emma Ortiz have also contributed digs. In a four-game stretch, Teves averaged seven per game, while Ortiz mirrored her output off the bench against Cal on Oct. 10. The Florida native recorded a season-high 12 digs and also delivered two aces.

No player can singlehandedly replace Sierzant. Her impact was felt all over the court. Not many can simultaneously be apt at attacking the net, setting for teammates and keeping plays alive defensively like her.

Sometimes, it’s Waller’s day. On others, it’s Laurio’s. Other times, Syracuse needs one middle blocker and two liberos, or it needs two middle blockers in front of Yamada.

Although SU has struggled at times, it’s also stayed afloat because of its secondary players and new formations. Sierzant is confident in her peers’ ability without her.

“Whoever’s on the court, they’re going to run the offense very well,” Sierzant said.

Published on October 27, 2025 at 10:02 pm
jaglick@syr.edu | @jason_glick